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P. C.l DAMM.

BALL TRAP.

PatentedMay 12, 1885.

UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

FRED C. DAMM, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PEORIA TARGETCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.-

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,521, dated May 12,1885.

Application filed October 21, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED C. DAMM, of Peoria, in the county of Peoria,and in the State of Illinois, have invented an Improved Ball and TargetTrap; andIdo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making apart of this specification, in which like letters of referencerefer to like parts, and in which- Figure l represents a plan view ofthe invention; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same when set, Fig. 3, adetail view, partially sectional, of the standard; Fig. 4,across-section at x win Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a cross-section at yy in Fig. 2,Fig. 6, a modied form of the invention.

This invention is in that line of mechanism for throwing balls, claypigeons, and other objects for practice, in gunnery, and is in thespecial line of such devices which consist of a pivotal arm having aspring for giving it a strong semi-revolution, a catch for holding saidarm in a set condition, and a cord for detaching said catch.

In the drawings, A represents the throwingarm, pivoted at p to the trapframe-piece F. s is the spring by which said arm is operated, and d isthe catch for holding the arm A set against the pull of said spring.

The frame-piece F is provided with a pivotal lug, Z, which, entering thesocket of the standard T, enables the frame-piece F to be angularly adjusted vertically. The lower end of said standard, by fitting in thestandardsocket K, permits the frame-piece F to be turned horizontally inany direction. An opening, d, made through the lower part of thestandard T, is for the passage therethrough of the cord D, by which thecatch c is released from the arm A. An annular groove in the lug Z,another at the lower end of the standard T, and setscrews passingthrough the sides of the sockets into said grooves hold said partstogether, and .at the same time permit the desired turning of parts. TheV-spring s, which I prefer to use for propelling the arm A, is securedto the frame-piece F by having the coils s2 at its vertex clasp the lugM, projecting from said frame-piece and held in place thereon by the capm and bolt m. The

end s of the springs passes through an opening in the head b of the boltB. The other end of the spring s is joined by means of a link, e, to theend a of the arm A.

The object in having the arm A bent as shown, is that the pull of thespring when said arm is set shall be near in line with the pivot I), asin Fig. 2, and the starting of said arm be thereby less violent. Thisdecreases greatly the liability to fracture of the clay pigeons instarting them from a state of rest and giving them a sufficient velocityto iinpel them the desired distance. When the arm A reaches the end ofits stroke,in the position of Fig. l, the spring s becomes a check tostop the force of its motion. The tension of the spring s is changed atwill by means of the bolt B, to the head of which the end s of saidspring is secured. The boltB passing through the ear r of the frameprojection R, and the set-nut b abutting against said ear, the head b ofthe bolt is brought nearer Vto or moved farther from thespring s, anddesired alteration easily made in the force thereof. The catch o, bywhich the arm A is held in its potential energy, is pivoted at itsvertex to the projection N. A spiral spring, N', fastcned at its ends tothe tail of the catch c, and to the lower end of the projection N, snapssaid spring-catch up to engage with the arm N and hold it set.

Instead of the V-spring s, I sometimes use a spiral spring fastened atits ends to the end c of the throwing-arm A and to the bolt B, as inFig. 6.

The end w of the frame-piece F, I usually make sufficiently heavy toresist the countershock of the throwing-arm A.

In using this trap the arm A is brought around toward the weighted end wof the 9c frame-piece and held thereat by the snapcatch c. The cord Dbeing fastened to the catch c, and passing thence down through thechannel d in the standard to the operator, en-

ables, by a pull thereon, said catch to be dis- 9 5 connected from thearm A, and the latter to perform its work of throwing a ball or otherobject attached to its extremity.

The socket-piece 7c, I usually bolt to a board,

7c', through which stakes may be driven to ro hold the trap iirmly tothe ground. Said box serves as the cover of aboX for receiving theballs, clay pigeons, and other objects, of the throwing-arm A, havingbent end a and pivot P, a frame-piece, F, to which said arm is pivoted,provided with a projection, R, having ear r, a bolt, B, passing throughsaid ear, a spring secured at one end to the head of said bolt, and atits other end connected with the end a of said throwing-arm, and aset-nut, b, for said bolt, whereby the tension of said spring can beregulated, substantially as set forth. A A

2. The frame-piece F, having a projection, It, and an ear, r, at the endthereof, in coinbination with the arm A, pivoted to said frame-piece,the bolt B, passing through said ear, the set-nut b, for longitudinallymoving said bolt, the V-spring s, pivoted at its vertex to saidframepiece and having its end s secured to said bolt, and the link e,joining the working end of said spring to the said arm A, substantiallyas and for the purpose herein specied.

3. In a ball or target trap, the framepiece F and cylindrical lug Z,projecting therefrom and having an annular groove thereabout, in

the throwing-arm A, pivoted to said framepieee F, as and for the purposespecified.

5. In a ball and target trap, the combination, with the frame-piece F, athrowing-arm pivoted thereto, and a spring for impelling said arm, ofthe projection N, L-shaped catch c, pivoted thereto, a coiled spring,N', secured at its ends to the lower end of said projection, and to thetail c of said catch, and a cord, D, fastened to said tail, as and forthe purposeset forth.

6. The terminally-weighted frame-piece F, having projections'N andB andlugs Z and M, in combination with the bent throwing-arm A, pivoted tosaid frame-piece, the V-spring s, held at its v erteX to said lug M bythe cap and bolt m m', a link, e, joining the working end of said springto the bent end of said throwing-arm, a bolt, B, passing through the earr of said projection R and connected to the end s of said spring, aset-nut, b, for adjusting said bolt, the snap-catch o, pivoted to saidprojection N, cord D, for depressing said catch, the standard T, andstandard socket lf, as set forth.

7. In a throwing mechanism of the kind herein set forth, a frame-pieceand a spring adapted to have the line of its pull at approxinxatelyright angles to said frame, in combiuation with the I -shapedthroWiJg-arrn ALpivoted at or near its vertex to said frame-piece,

and having the point of attachment of said Witnesses:

A. B. UPHAM, A. KEITHLEY.

